The education system in New Zealand implements a three-tier model which includes primary and intermediate schools, followed by secondary schools (high schools) and by tertiary education at universities and polytechnics. The academic year in New Zealand varies between institutions, but generally runs from early February until mid-December for primary schools, late January to late November or early December for secondary schools and polytechnics, and from late February until mid-November for universities.
In 2018 the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), ranked New Zealand 12th-best at science, 12th-best at reading, and 27th-best in maths; however, New Zealand's mean scores have been steadily dropping in all three categories. The Education Index, published as part of the UN's Human Development Index, consistently ranks New Zealand's education among the highest in the world. Following a 2019 Curia Market Research survey of general knowledge, researchers planned to release a report in 2020 assessing whether New Zealand's education curriculum is fit for purpose. The study found that people in New Zealand lack basic knowledge in English, maths, science, geography, and history.
The Human Rights Measurement Initiative found that New Zealand achieved 95.9% of what should be possible at its level of income for the right to education.
History
Before the arrival of Europeans, Māori ran schools to pass on traditional knowledge including songs, chants, tribal history, spiritual understanding, and knowledge of medicinal plants. These wānanga were usually run by elders called tohunga, respected for their tribal knowledge and teaching was confined to the rangatira (chiefly) class. Reading and writing were unknown, but wood carving was well developed."The Whare Wananga". Victoria University of Wellington. , Elsdon Best, via NZETC
Formal European-style schooling was first introduced in 1815 and was well established in 1832 by the London Missionary Society missionaries, who learned Māori and built the first schools in the Bay of Islands. Both children and adults were taught. The main resources were the Christian New Testament and slates, and teaching was in the Māori language. For many years the Bible was the only literature used in teaching, and this became a major factor in how Māori viewed the European world. In the 1850s a Māori trade school was established at Te Awamutu by John Gorst to teach Māori practical skills associated with European-style farming,"John Gorst at Te Awamutu" , "The Old Frontier", James Cowan, via NZETC but in 1863 was burnt down by Rewi Maniapoto in the early stages of New Zealand Wars.The Road to War 1860–64.Monogram 16. Whakatane Historical Society
Teaching by missionaries in Native schools were in Māori between 1815 and 1900. The Young Māori Party MPs, especially Māui Pōmare and Āpirana Ngata, advocated the teaching of Māori children in English, as well as teaching hygiene to lower the Māori sickness and death rates. Pōmare was knighted after WW1 for his work in improving Māori learning and integration into New Zealand society.
The absence of a national education system meant that the first sizeable secondary education providers were grammar schools and other private institutions. The first grammar school in New Zealand, Auckland Grammar School, was established in 1850 and formally recognised as an educational establishment in 1868 through the Auckland Grammar School Appropriation Act. Some schools were set up by religious groups, and others by provincial governments. Nelson and Otago were better funded and more efficient education systems than northern provinces such as Auckland; Auckland Board of Education was set up in 1857, under the Education Act of that year, and had 45 schools by 1863.
The Canterbury Provincial Council passed its first Educational Ordinance in 1857, appointed a Board of Education in 1863, and had eighty-four school districts by 1873 when it changed funding from school fees to rating land to provide free secular primary education in its schools.
Following the abolition of the provinces in November 1876, New Zealand established a free, compulsory, and secular national state education system from 1 January 1878, largely modelled on the Canterbury system.
Victorian ideals had an influence on New Zealand education and schools even if open to both genders would often separate boys and girls. Early childhood education Many children attend some form of early childhood education before they begin school.
Early childhood education in New Zealand can be centre based and led by teachers or parents, or home based.
Centre-based and teacher-led services include: Kindergarten (age three to school age), commonly known as kindy Puna Reo Licensed Early Childhood Education and Care Centres (age 0 to school age), commonly known as day care or preschool. At least 50% of the adults who work with children at a teacher-led early childhood education service must be qualified early learning teachers, with Kindergarten having 100% qualified teachers. Some services have a particular language or cultural focus, or have a specific set of beliefs about teaching and learning, for example Rudolf Steiner, Montessori, Kindergarten.
Centre-based and whānau-led or parent-led services include:
Kohanga Reo Playcentre (age zero to school age) Playgroups
Early childhood education services have to be licensed or certified by the Ministry of Education but are not Government-owned like state schools.
Licensed early childhood education services and certified playgroups must follow the early childhood education curriculum framework, Te Whāriki.
Primary and secondary education
All New Zealand citizens, and those entitled to reside in New Zealand indefinitely, are entitled to free primary and secondary schooling from their 5th birthday until the end of the calendar year following their 19th birthday.Education Act 1989, section 3 Education is compulsory between a student's 6th and 16th birthdays;Education Act 1989, section 20 however most students start primary school on (or shortly after) their 5th birthday, and the vast majority (around 84%) stay in school until at least their 17th birthday. In exceptional cases, 15-year-olds can apply for an early leaving exemption from the Ministry of Education (MOE). Disabled students with special educational needs can attend day specialist schools until the end of the calendar year they turn 21.
Families wishing to home-school their children can apply for an exemption. To get an exemption from enrolment at a registered school, they must satisfy the Secretary of Education that their child will be taught "as regularly and as well as in a registered school"."Homeschooling", Ministry of Education website
School years and grades The New Zealand school year runs from late January to mid-December. Schools open for the year between Auckland Anniversary Day (the Monday closest to 29 January) and Waitangi Day (6 February) and close no later than 20 December. The year is divided into four terms, with two-week breaks in between. These breaks are in April (usually incorporating Easter), July, and September/October.
New Zealand primary and secondary schooling has 13 year levels, numbered 1 through 13. Primary education lasts eight years (Years 1–8). The last two years of primary education (Years 7 and 8) are known as intermediate. Depending on the area, Years 7 and 8 may be taken at a primary school (termed a full primary school, in contrast to a Year 1–6 contributing primary school), at a Year 7–13 secondary school, or at a separate intermediate school. Students generally transition to secondary education at age 12–13. Secondary education, also known as high school or college, lasts five years (Years 9–13). +Year LevelAge at 1 AprilYear 15Year 26Year 37Year 48Year 59Year 610Year 711Year 812Year 913Year 1014Year 1115Year 1216Year 1317
Curriculum and qualifications All state and state integrated schools follow the national curriculum: The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) for English-medium schools and (TMoA) for Māori-medium schools. Private schools do not need to follow the national curriculum, but must have a curriculum that is at least equivalent to NZC or TMoA.
Both the NZC and TMoA outline eight learning areas: English (NZC) or Māori (TMoA), mathematics and statistics, the arts, health and physical education, learning languages, science, social sciences, and technology. All areas except learning languages are compulsory until Year 10. While not compulsory, learning languages is recommended for students between Years 7 and 10. Parents can request their child be excluded from the sexuality education portion of the health and physical education curriculum, provided they notify the school principal in writing.
From year 11 onwards, most students work toward the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). Some schools offer Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) or the International Baccalaureate (IB) alongside NCEA. Senior students have greater choice in subjects, though Mathematics is often compulsory in Year 11 and English or Māori in Years 11 and 12 to meet the numeracy and literacy requirements for University Entrance.
Types of schools by funding New Zealand has three types of schools: state schools, which are government owned and funded; state integrated schools, which are government funded but may charge compulsory fees; and private schools, with set annual fees.
State schools State schools, or public schools, are government funded and operated, and are free to New Zealand citizens and permanent residents. Students and parents however are expected to pay for stationery, uniforms, textbooks and school trips. Schools may ask for donations to supplement their government operational funding. While it is completely voluntary to pay the donation, some schools have been reported coercing parents into paying the donation by withholding school reports and not allowing students on trips for non-payment; some schools, especially those in affluent areas, request donations in excess of $1000 per year. Each state school is governed by an elected Board of Trustees, consisting of the school principal, a number of trustees (usually 5) elected by the parents of the students, one staff trustee elected by the school staff, and in secondary schools, one student trustee elected by the students. State schools follow the national curriculum, and are required to remain secular. Around 85% of students are enrolled in state schools.
State-integrated schools
State-integrated schools are former private schools which have chosen to integrate into the state education system, becoming state schools but retaining their "special character": being run by a religious community or a specialist group. They were established in 1975 after the near-collapse of the then-private Catholic school system, which had run into financial difficulties and threatened to overwhelm the state school system were they to close. The majority of state-integrated schools are Catholic, but other Christian denominations, religions and educational philosophies are also represented. The private school owners stay on as proprietors, and sit on the school's board of trustees to ensure the special character is maintained. State-integrated schools charge "attendance dues" to parents to cover the costs of the still privately owned land and buildings, and to pay off any debts accrued by the school prior to integration. Typical attendance dues range between $240 and $740 per year for Catholic schools, and between $1,150 and $2,300 per year for non-Catholic state-integrated schools. Around 10% of students are enrolled in state-integrated schools.
Private schools